The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-05-05

authority of the learned John William
Draper for asserting that this opinion is
not founded in truth, but that the Roman
empire was destroyed by the infusion
into the Roman stock of the bloods of
inferior races. This has been the prime
cause of the destruction of all great peo-
Piles and nations in every age, and the
American people are not invulnerable to
this insidious and constantly conspiring
crime of ages.
So far as intemperance becomes of any
practical danger to this country, it can be
treated as direct importation from
foreign countries, and In that light
the government of the traffic in liquors of
all kinds should receive consideration.
Temperance is one of the greatest virtues,
and applies with great if not equal force
to all of GU. national appetites and condi-
tions. To promote it is worthy of the
highest wisdom and craftsmanship, be-
cause the reasonable and moderate use of
all that is given to US to enjoy, is the sub
stance of life. But, while we advocate the
principle of temperance, the monster of
prohibition is more dangerous to the
country than all of the evils flowing from
the manufacture and sale of intoXicants.
The people of Iowa, by their prohibit
ton fanaticism, have destroyed many
millions of vested capital, in healthful in
dustries and commercial enterprises, and
in this way have largely con-
tracted the sphere of labor, and,
as in the western reserve of
Ohio, sown the seeds of unjustiiable di-
vorces, free love, opium eating, illeg1ti-
macy, abortions and superabundance of
old maids. The people of Kansas are
pursuing the same insane policy; pol
icy which, in every way, is more destruc-
tive in its results than the evils which are
sought to be abolished. Henceforth, if
Judge Reagan will invoke American states
manship to prevent the importation into
this country of pauperism, crime and in
temperance, he will do an important SER
vice to the country, and to widen his in
fluence and usefulness let him urge that
the best way to prevent the growth of
intemperance in the generations to fol
low, and lessen the consequent crime and
pauperism that grows out of ha-
bitual drunkenness, is to enact
good and wholesome laws for
the government of the people and in
forcement, and soon will grow up a self
asserting moral and intellectual manhood
and womanhood, more powerful for the
redemption of the people from sin than
all the policies of prohibition growing out
of cranky fanaticism that destroys
property, industry and commerce, and
robs women and children of the opportu-
nifty and means to earn living.
Weak, indeed, will become that nation
and effeminate thatpeople who abandon a
wise and temperate use of alcohol, whether
as brandy, whisky, wine, beer, ale or in
any other form of beverage. Far better
nation Of drinkers of alcoholic bever-
ages than a nation of people given to the
use of narcotics. There is a remedial
value in alcoholic drinks; there is none in
the use of narcotics.
To strike at the destruction of a vast
element of industrial and commercial
power in this country, as prohibition seeks
to do, to prevent the use of Intoxicating
liquors by the few, is no less unwise and
insane than for an organized band of ia
natics to strike at the liberties of the
whole people because of the licentious use
of liberty by the few in the commission of
murder. One proposition is just as rea-
sonable as the other. The country needs
the diversified industry and wealth of the
one, as in the other government of the
country is founded upon the principles
of liberty. And the same ruthless spirit
of fanaticism that will assault one will as
sault the other.
To all of these facts the considerate at
tention of Judge Reagan is directed In
sentiment he may not approve of them,
because of manifest difference of judg-
ment existing between the governmental
policy of Jefferson and himself, however
urgently he may proclaim unity of
opinion. He has advanced in his advo-
cacy of prohibition, to the position of an
eminent colored divine, who in his effort
to maintain an untenable proposition,
quoted from st. Paul; but the reading of
the text showed direct antagonism to
his argument, and to preserve his own
reputation for wisdom, declared that it
was precisely at that point where he and
Paul differed.